Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.19 2.

The Discourse on the Son of a Prostitute

Dutiyavagga Paṭhamaaputtakasutta Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo divā divassa yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went to the Blessed One in the middle of the day, and after paying homage to him, he sat down to one side.

Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “handa kuto nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, āgacchasi divā divassā”ti?

Sitting to one side, King Pasenadi of Kosala said to the Blessed One: Where have you come from, great king, in the middle of the day?

“Idha, bhante, sāvatthiyaṁ seṭṭhi gahapati kālaṅkato.

Here, venerable sir, in Sāvatthī, a householder named Anāthapiṇḍika has passed away.

Tamahaṁ aputtakaṁ sāpateyyaṁ rājantepuraṁ atiharitvā āgacchāmi.

I have come after taking over the royal capital from the son of a prostitute.

Asīti, bhante, satasahassāni hiraññasseva, ko pana vādo rūpiyassa.

He had eighty thousand in gold alone, not to mention silver.

Tassa kho pana, bhante, seṭṭhissa gahapatissa evarūpo bhattabhogo ahosi— kaṇājakaṁ bhuñjati bilaṅgadutiyaṁ.

And his food was like this: he ate broken rice with ghee.

Evarūpo vatthabhogo ahosi— sāṇaṁ dhāreti tipakkhavasanaṁ.

His clothing was like this: he wore coarse hempen cloth.

Evarūpo yānabhogo ahosi— jajjararathakena yāti paṇṇachattakena dhāriyamānenā”ti.

His vehicle was like this: he went in a chariot with a canopy of leaves.

“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja.

This is how it was, great king, this is how it was.

Asappuriso kho, mahārāja, uḷāre bhoge labhitvā nevattānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti, na mātāpitaro sukheti pīṇeti, na puttadāraṁ sukheti pīṇeti, na dāsakammakaraporise sukheti pīṇeti, na mittāmacce sukheti pīṇeti, na samaṇabrāhmaṇesu uddhaggikaṁ dakkhiṇaṁ patiṭṭhāpeti sovaggikaṁ sukhavipākaṁ saggasaṁvattanikaṁ.

A bad person, great king, having acquired vast wealth, does not provide for his own happiness and well-being, nor that of his mother and father, nor his children and wife, nor his servants, employees, and workers, nor his friends and colleagues, nor does he establish an uplifting offering for ascetics and brahmins, leading to happiness, prosperity, and heaven.

Tassa te bhoge evaṁ sammā aparibhuñjiyamāne rājāno vā haranti corā vā haranti aggi vā ḍahati udakaṁ vā vahati appiyā vā dāyādā haranti.

As he consumes these resources properly, kings or thieves seize them, or fire burns them, or water sweeps them away, or unloved heirs take them.

Evaṁsa te, mahārāja, bhogā sammā aparibhuñjiyamānā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, no paribhogaṁ.

Thus, great king, these resources, when not consumed properly, lead to their depletion, not to their enjoyment.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, amanussaṭṭhāne pokkharaṇī acchodakā sītodakā sātodakā setodakā supatitthā ramaṇīyā.

Just as a lotus pond in a deserted place is clear, cool, refreshing, and delightful, yet no one would take from it, drink from it, bathe in it, or use it in any way.

Taṁ jano neva hareyya na piveyya na nahāyeyya na yathāpaccayaṁ vā kareyya.

For if they did, the water would be used up, not enjoyed.

Evañhi taṁ, mahārāja, udakaṁ sammā aparibhuñjiyamānaṁ parikkhayaṁ gaccheyya, no paribhogaṁ. Evameva kho, mahārāja, asappuriso uḷāre bhoge labhitvā nevattānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti, na mātāpitaro sukheti pīṇeti, na puttadāraṁ sukheti pīṇeti, na dāsakammakaraporise sukheti pīṇeti, na mittāmacce sukheti pīṇeti, na samaṇabrāhmaṇesu uddhaggikaṁ dakkhiṇaṁ patiṭṭhāpeti sovaggikaṁ sukhavipākaṁ saggasaṁvattanikaṁ.

In the same way, great king, a bad person, having acquired vast wealth, does not provide for his own happiness and well-being, nor that of his mother and father, nor his children and wife, nor his servants, employees, and workers, nor his friends and colleagues, nor does he establish an uplifting offering for ascetics and brahmins, leading to happiness, prosperity, and heaven. As he consumes these resources properly, kings or thieves seize them.

Tassa te bhoge evaṁ sammā aparibhuñjiyamāne rājāno vā haranti, corā vā haranti, aggi vā ḍahati, udakaṁ vā vahati, appiyā vā dāyādā haranti.

Thieves steal, fire burns, water flows, unloved heirs take. Thus, great king, possessions are being consumed properly, not the consumer.

Evaṁsa te, mahārāja, bhogā sammā aparibhuñjiyamānā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, no paribhogaṁ. Sappuriso ca kho, mahārāja, uḷāre bhoge labhitvā attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti, mātāpitaro sukheti pīṇeti, puttadāraṁ sukheti pīṇeti, dāsakammakaraporise sukheti pīṇeti, mittāmacce sukheti pīṇeti, samaṇabrāhmaṇesu uddhaggikaṁ dakkhiṇaṁ patiṭṭhāpeti sovaggikaṁ sukhavipākaṁ saggasaṁvattanikaṁ.

A virtuous person, having obtained great wealth, makes themselves happy and pleased, makes their parents happy and pleased, makes their spouse and children happy and pleased, makes their servants and workers happy and pleased, makes their friends and companions happy and pleased, establishes an uplifting offering among ascetics and brahmins, leading to heavenly results and the attainment of heaven.

Tassa te bhoge evaṁ sammā paribhuñjiyamāne neva rājāno haranti, na corā haranti, na aggi ḍahati, na udakaṁ vahati, na appiyā dāyādā haranti.

With these possessions being consumed properly in this way, neither kings nor thieves take, neither fire burns, nor water flows, nor unloved heirs take.

Evaṁsa te, mahārāja, bhogā sammā paribhuñjiyamānā paribhogaṁ gacchanti, no parikkhayaṁ.

Thus, great king, possessions being consumed properly lead to consumption, not depletion.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, gāmassa vā nigamassa vā avidūre pokkharaṇī acchodakā sītodakā sātodakā setodakā supatitthā ramaṇīyā.

Just as, great king, a lotus pond is not far from a village or town, with clear, cool, pleasant, and beautiful water.

Tañca udakaṁ jano hareyyapi piveyyapi nahāyeyyapi yathāpaccayampi kareyya.

People might steal, drink, or bathe in that water as they wish.

Evañhi taṁ, mahārāja, udakaṁ sammā paribhuñjiyamānaṁ paribhogaṁ gaccheyya, no parikkhayaṁ.

In the same way, great king, if that water is consumed properly, it leads to consumption, not depletion.

Evameva kho, mahārāja, sappuriso uḷāre bhoge labhitvā attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti, mātāpitaro sukheti pīṇeti, puttadāraṁ sukheti pīṇeti, dāsakammakaraporise sukheti pīṇeti, mittāmacce sukheti pīṇeti, samaṇabrāhmaṇesu uddhaggikaṁ dakkhiṇaṁ patiṭṭhāpeti sovaggikaṁ sukhavipākaṁ saggasaṁvattanikaṁ.

In the same way, a virtuous person, having obtained great wealth, makes themselves happy and pleased, makes their parents happy and pleased, makes their spouse and children happy and pleased, makes their servants and workers happy and pleased, makes their friends and companions happy and pleased, establishes an uplifting offering among ascetics and brahmins, leading to heavenly results and the attainment of heaven.

Tassa te bhoge evaṁ sammā paribhuñjiyamāne neva rājāno haranti, na corā haranti, na aggi ḍahati, na udakaṁ vahati, na appiyā dāyādā haranti.

With these possessions being consumed properly in this way, neither kings nor thieves take, neither fire burns, nor water flows, nor unloved heirs take.

Evaṁsa te, mahārāja, bhogā sammā paribhuñjiyamānā paribhogaṁ gacchanti, no parikkhayan”ti.

Thus, great king, possessions being consumed properly lead to consumption, not depletion.

“Amanussaṭṭhāne udakaṁva sītaṁ, Tadapeyyamānaṁ parisosameti; Evaṁ dhanaṁ kāpuriso labhitvā, Nevattanā bhuñjati no dadāti.

Just as water in a non-human place, though cold, is consumed and used up, so too, when a person acquires wealth, they neither use it nor give it away.

Dhīro ca viññū adhigamma bhoge, So bhuñjati kiccakaro ca hoti; So ñātisaṅghaṁ nisabho bharitvā, Anindito saggamupeti ṭhānan”ti.

The wise and discerning, having attained wealth, consume it and are industrious. They support their relatives and dependents, blameless, they reach a heavenly abode.